Home Issues Drama

Amy: Take off your boots.

(Tom goes outside and vigorously wipes his boots.) "Satisfied?" (Shows the bottom of his boots)

Amy: Did you pick up the garlic and ginger?

Tom: Oh no. I forgot.

As you will observe this is probably the thousandth time Marge and Phil have had this fight. Why do they persist in locking horns over who is the bigger martyr, and in the process, persist in driving themselves crazy?? Why don't they just get their act together, split up the jobs, get their kids involved, hire help and do it! They both claim their physical and mental well being are at stake!

In the classic triangle, the roles shift between the two people as they take on three different roles: victim, rescuer, and persecutor. In this drama, the couple compete for the preferred status of victim. The partners each claim to suffer and then expect their partner to take on the role of rescuer. They compete for victimhood and when neither wins, they become persecutors, blaming and attacking the other for their problems and pain.